Railway-switch



D. L. LANDERS.

RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLI'GATIO-N- HLED 001.11.1916.

1 ,328,003 Patented Jan. 13, 1920.

INVENTOR WITNESSES N W ATTORNEY or side track.

T onto DAVID L. LANDERS, OF ESTILL, SOUTH CAROLINA.

RAILVJAY-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan.13,1920.

Application filed October 17, 1916. Serial No. 126,168.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID L. Lxnpnns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Estill, in the county of Hampton and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway- Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in a railway switch and has for its primary obj set, the provision of a form of switch in which the main rails may be continuous, the switch point being connected with the rails of the branch track.

The inventionhas for another object, the provision of a switch of this character in which the frogs for engagement over one of the rails of the main line when the track is closed, may be carried by sections of one rail of the side line or branch track.

For a further obj ect,the invention includes improved and novel operating means for the switch, whereby the frogs may be 0perated simultaneously with the switch points, the entire switch being of simple construction and operation as well as highly efficient in use.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature ofthe invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel combination and arrangement of cooperating elements as hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and in which like designating characters of reference refer to corresponding parts throughout the several. views,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved form of switch,

Fig. 2 is a detail cross sectional view on the plane of line 22 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a similar view on the plane of line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, 1 designates the rails of the main track, while 2 designates the rails of the branch It will be understood that all of the sections of the rails forming the main track and also the side or branch track are connected in the usual manner. The switch point 3 at the end of the inner rail of the side or branch track is pivotally mounted upon the ties 1, as shown at, 3 and when the switch is in open position, both of the switch points 3 are in alinement with the respective rails of said side or branch line. The section of the inner rail of the side line, with which the inner or grooved switch point 3 is alined when in open position, is designated by the numeral 8 while the corresponding section of the outer railof the side line is designated by the numeral 4. These numerals are employed for the purpose of making clear the description to follow.

The inner switch point 3 is grooved and has a portion of its base cut away at its free end and on theside toward the main track rail withwhich it is adaptedto engage and which will be hereinafter referred'to as the outer main rail. By forming the free end of the inner switch point 3 in this manner, the upper or tread portion thereof will rest upon the tread portion of the outer main rail, as shown in Fig.1, when the switch is open." The remaining or outer switch point 3 also has a'portion of its base cut away at its free end, to permit'the upper or tread portion of said outer switch point 3 to extend over onto the tread portion of the remaining or inner main rail, as also clearly shown in Fig. 1. This lastmentioned switch point?) is somewhat shorter than the inner switch point 3 and it will be readily seen that when the switch is open and the switch points 3 are in alinement with the side line rail sections 8 and 4, the groove of the inner switch point 3 will guide the wheels on one side of the rolling stock away from the outer main rail to the inner side rail and force the wheels upon the opposite side of the rolling stock into engagement with the outer switch point 3 by means of which said wheels will be guided over the inner main rail and onto the outer side rail.

In order to properly carry the first mentioned wheels over the inner main line rail 1, I provide a pair of complementary frogs 10 and 11, the upper portions of which are adapted to interlock above the inner main line rail 1, the proper distance from the inner switch point 3 and at the crossing of the inner side line rail and the inner main line rail 1. The frog 10 is formed upon the end of the section 9 of the inner side rail and which section 9 is positioned diagonally between the main line rails 1. The frog 11 is formed with the section 6 of the inner side line rail 2. The opposed edgesof the frogs 10 and 11 are provided with cut away portions, thereby providing shoulders for engagement with one another, as clearly shown in the drawings and designated by the numeral 12. The frog 11 is also provided with a wheel flange receiving groove or channel 13, at the side of the rail section 6, whereby the wheels of the rolling stool: may readily pass over the frogs 10 and 11 while crossing over the inner main line rail 1.

In order to operate the switch readily, I have provided a rock shaft 14 positioned longitudinally of the main track and having bearings in suitable members 15 mounted upon extensions of certain of the cross ties 1. The rock shaft 14 also has an operating lever 17 mounted thereon, by means of which it may be readily rocked in either direction to open or close the switch, as desired. This rook shaft 14 is also provided with a crank portion 18 having a rod 19 connected therewith, which rod 19 is also connected with the switch points 3, one end of the rod 19 being turned back as shown at 19 and secured to the other side of the outer switch point 3, while a branch 19 of said rod 19 is secured to the inner side of the inner switch point 8, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. frogs 10 and 11, the rock shaft 14 is provided with the oppositely offset crank portions QOand 21 with the rods 22 and 23 mounted thereon. The rod 22 is connected with the inner side of the frog 10 while the rod 23 has its end turned back and secured to the frog 11, after being extended beneath the same. This connection may be readily understood by referring to Fig. 3 and it will Opposite the be evident that upon rotation or rocking movement of the rock shaft 14, the frogs 10 and 11 will be moved in opposite directions. Therefore, when the rock shaft 14 is oper ated to open the switch, the frogs 10 and 11 will be brought together over the inner main and described is what is believed to be the preferred embodiment thereof, 1t 18 nevertheless to be understood that minor changes therein in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claim, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim as new is A railway switch attachment comprising an elongated rod having a rearwardly turned end, a branch portion leading from said rod intermediate the ends thereof, said branch and said rearwardly turned end eX- tending in the same direction, whereby said branch and said rearwardly turned end may be connected to a pair of switch points to uniformly close the switch points when the rod is shifted in one direction to hold the switch points against accidental shifting.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID L. LANDERS. Vitnesses JULIUS OWENS, W. T. GLovER. 

